Datsyuk signs 3-year extension

DETROIT – The Detroit Red Wings have locked up an important piece to their success for another three years.

Pavel Datsyuk has agreed in principal to a three-year extension worth $23 million according his agent confirmed Tuesday in a phone interview.

The deal can’t be registered with the league until July 5, which is the first day of free agency because

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Datsyuk broke the story himself on twitter, tweeting, “Signed 3 yr. extension. Detroit, glad to be here for 4 more yrs. Thanks to our fans, friends and Ilitch family.”

The Wings also confirmed the deal through a press release.

“We’re obviously thrilled to extend the contract of the best two-way player in the National Hockey League,” Wings general manager Ken Holland said in a press realease. “This deal ensures that Pavel will be in Detroit for the next four years. His accomplishments over the past 11 seasons demonstrate what a truly dynamic player he is. His work ethic is second to none. We feel we have a tremendous leadership group moving forward in (Henrik) Zetterberg, Datsyuk and (Niklas) Kronwall.”

According to Greenstin, Datsyuk will make $10 million in the first year of the deal and then paid $7.5 million the next year and $5.5 million the final year of the extension.

The deal has a salary-cap hit of $7.66 million.

Datsyuk, who turns 35 on July 20, has one-year left on a deal worth $6.7 million a season.

Datsyuk, who was selected in the sixth round of the 1998 NHL Entry Draft by the Wings, has 767 career points in 11 seasons.

He’s won the Lady Byng Trophy, which is awarded for sportsmanship and gentlemanly conduct, four consecutive seasons (2006-09) and he Selke Trophy (best defensive forward) three times (2008, 2009, 2010).

Datsyuk is a four-time NHL All-Star and was a nominee for the Hart Trophy as the NHL’s most valuable player in 2009.

He’s also been on the Wings’ Stanley Cup winning teams in 2002 and 2008.

Greenstin told The Macomb Daily that both sides were “very close” to reaching a new agreement as he boarded a flight to Detroit on Monday night.

This after Datsyuk tweeted on Monday, “Big day tomorrow”.

“Of course it’s a big day, I’m flying to Detroit to have lunch together,” Greenstin told The Macomb Daily on Monday night just before taking off on a flight to Detroit. “I can tell you we are kind of close, me and Ken (Holland) and Pavel are very close.”